BlindBrick

At first it was a single reason. To challenge myself. As oppisition grew, a second one sprang up, to demonstrate that being fat does not equal being incapable. And after my first jump, it became to improve on my form since I was less than happy with my performance on the first jump. -Blind "If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

IIRC, "rigger" was someone certified to pack mains. When the law changed to where you could pack your own main, the rating became obselete. -Blind "If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

Not as bad as a 190 mph deployment. With my current gear config, 150 is close to my standard deployment speed. And before someone lights up the flamethrower. Yes, I am very aware of the inherent risks involved with high speed deployments and have gear modded for the situation. I am also actively working on attaining lower deployment speeds. Until that time though, I chose to accept the elevated risk level. -Blind "If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

Might be a bit premature. There are a lot of things that can affect a pc launch and spring strength is just one of them. -Blind "If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

In the winter, I've had great results by hanging the rig to dry over a heater vent in the floor. I just suspend it about five foot off the floor and it gets bone dry overnight. -Blind Exposing it to that level of heat for that long would bother me. I am not sure what effect it would have on the nylon. Sparky that high off the floor, the heat's less than you you'd get at Perris or Eloy on a warm day. The drying effect is more from the dry air moving over it for several hours. -Blind "If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

In the winter, I've had great results by hanging the rig to dry over a heater vent in the floor. I just suspend it about five foot off the floor and it gets bone dry overnight. -Blind "If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

Fastest I've ever been on my belly was 233. I'm 5'11 and have an exit weight of ~315 lbs. My average belly speed is closer to 171 sans suit and ~140 with a big ass extra baggy freely suit with a massive camera wing. -Blind "If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

A 370 lb can barely get up out of a chair, much less a Cessna. 310(which was the weight during his supposed jump) out of a Cessna is very believable. The lowest TSO max on my gear is 317 lbs, and let's just say there used to be times when I prayed that no FAA guy/gal ever showed up with a scale. -Blind "If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

I urgently need to know the dimensions and grommet size for the slider on an MT-1/xx. thanks, -Blind "If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

I'm not commenting on the validity of the story, but 370 in the student slot is doable if the student is on the tall side say 6'2 or 6'3. -Blind "If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

Don't worry, I'm not about to sew up something homebrewed and jump it. Kind of in the idle flight of fantasy stage about a speed skydiving rig with a staged main deployment system that uses a drouge at the beginning of the process. I've talked to several manufactuers and they were pretty sure that stripping all the unneccessary stuff from a standard tandem design would invalidate the TSO. Thus, the idle wondering on what is involved with jumping experimental class rigs. -Blind "If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

I'm curious and so far have not been able to find anythign in the FAR's. If someone could direct me in the right direction, I would appreciate it. -Blind "If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

Best food period? That has to be Skydive Skyranch(Siloam Springs, AR). Our DZO was a gourmet cook before he got into skydiving. Best Commercial Food: Deland's good but I've got to give the nod to Tami and Scotty. -Blind "If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

I've always been fond of Wolf Creek. Used to live in Durango, and Purgatory was only 1/2 hour away, but we always went to Wolf Creek which is ~2 hours away. Telluride was just a little farther, and we had a Prof that could get us great deals on tickets, but again Wolf Creek always seemed better. -Blind "If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

Technically, no. The intensity of gravity varies with distance from the center of the planet. So technically the effects of gravity at a sea level DZ and a high altitude dz are different, though the difference is effectively negligible and pretty much negated by the differences in air density. We're out here, you just have to look for us. -Blind "If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

Due to my unusually fast freefall speeds, my canopy was retrimmed to give me long snivels. Nowadays, I call 800 ft a quick opening. I'd never deploy it at less than 3000 ft, but it sure saved my bacon at Couch Freaks this year when I found myself having to go terminal when I'd only dressed for a hop and pop. -Blind "If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

YEs but I was specifically responding to someone who was saying that 1.2 wasnt so bad. I never said that. I am under no illusion that 1.2 is an easy loading. I have the utmost respect for my canopy at that loading. And that's not just paying lip service to the concept, that's real respect bought with pain and blood from falling into a complacency phase right after I got over my inital fear of the canopy. Luckily the damage was mostly superfical, but it was enough to remind me that this is serious shit no matter how comfortable we may feel. -Blind -Blind "If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

Thanks for the clarification dave, I'll give that a try this weekend. -Blind "If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

When you say settle down, do you mean that kind of pre-stall period where the canopy gets kind kind of shaky? I've tried the flare to front riser thing before wihtout any luck, but I'd only held the flare for a few seconds. -Blind "If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

Kind of an omnibus reply here. I'm not really using this thread to get "permission" to fly a higher wingloading. What I am really looking for is input from those with more experience than me on how critcal getting comfortable with front risers, early in your progression, is. To be honest, if I could get front risers to work on my canopy, I'd be happy to stay with it for hundreds of more jumps. The sheer lift created by a zp wing that size is unbelievable. I get more surf on a sedate straight in approach than some of the guys and gals hooking the same WL on smaller canopies. And for that matter, if mastering risers early is not super critcal, I'll find a way to deal with my fustration and keep on wringing my current canopy out. I've also talked to the three hp canopy pilots at my dz. It's just ot me that this is essentially a risk to benefit analysis for me, and I'd like more than three opinions to help with the decision making process. Finally, I'll admit that my upper body stregnth is not the best, but when I do not think that's a factor here. I pull down on my fronts and I get that 1/2 inch or so, and then I am pulling myself up the risers without the riser coming down anymore. Granted I can't hold it very long, but I am pulling myself up the riser. -Blind "If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

I am in the entry stages of what is likely to be a years-long progression towards flying ultra-high performance canopies. Towards that goal, a year ago I bought a Safire II that gives me a 1.2 WL. I've worked hard on learning the characteristics of the canopy and flying it in all situations. I have encountered a problem though. I'm a big jumper and my canopy is so large that the front riser pressure is almost impossible. When using both hands to pull a single riser down, I move it less than an inch which results in a turn rate that's far less than what I get with a harness shift. So far, I've just accepted that I have no front risers and focused on the other inputs. Lately; however, I have begun to wonder if not getting experience with risers at this early stage will hinder my piltoing later down the road. Looking around, I've seen some used canopies in the 230 sf range. That'd give me approximately a 1.4 WL. To be honest, I feel that that WL in a worst-case scenario is doable for me, but it's on the very edge of my ability. By personal preference, I'd rather not cut my safety margin so thin at this stage. OTOH, I worry that if I do not start working on risers now, I will reduce the same margin in the future by virtue of inexperience with the risers or bad toggle habits. I guess what I am wondering is at what point does the risk of inhibiting future progression surpass those associated with flying an aggressive Wing Loading? -Blind "If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

Yeah, they weren't kidding. One size really does emasculate all! -Blind "If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

You can get a version you can turn on/off and change the batteries on at Wal-Mart of about $2.48. They are in the sporting goods section. -Blind "If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

Let's see: 32 hop and pops 2 Freefly 8 RW 8 solo freefalls In that bunch are 2 cutaways 2 jumps demoing a Sabre II Bellyfly dock with someone heads down Logged speed of 207 on my belly. Video of my canopy and me doing an honest to God full loop on the worst opening I've ever had. -Blind "If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

Nothing wrong with it though if it comes with the cannon and FCS, those must be registered and liscensed through ATF. I'm alos not sure if you can get an N number for it. I know that parachute equipment with military part numbers is ok for private use, but I do not know if aircraft workt he same way, though my instincts say no since the WWII bombers were all reclassified as experimental recently. -Blind "If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."